I’ve been officially home for 144 days (well, you’ll have to subtract the weekends to get my working from home time because that’s my total quarantine number), and I’m going to be home for the rest of the year. I wrote about my experience working from home while living with your parents back in March when I was about a week into WFH. My parents and I have gotten into a groove, which is good since my dad is also home too for the rest of the year.

My setup is in my bedroom, and I’ve been working on my work desktop since the end of April. I had been using a laptop but having my desktop home is a lot easier to work off of. (However there are a few days when I’ve completely worked from my bed using the laptop. Just for a change of scenery.) I still have to unpack my desk in order to work, so it’s a way for me to distinguish between work hours and non-work hours.

I get up at 7:30 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; I get up at 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday and Thursday to go running. On running days, I eat breakfast, run, and shower before work. On non-running days, I have a little bit more time to eat breakfast and get ready. I start work at 8:30 a.m. and the first three things I launch on my computer are our phone app (with the new phone system we got earlier this year, there’s a desktop application we can use to make phone calls), my email, and Spotify. I still listen to all of my podcasts while I work; I’m planning on a post later this month with a list of everything I listen to!

I try to take a 15 minute break in the morning and another in the afternoon. There are some days where I end up, mistakenly or otherwise, in my room all day, and I know that’s not good. I’ll come out, get a snack, pet the dogs, or talk to my mom for a few minutes. I take my lunch at 12:00 p.m., and I’ll watch TV while I eat.

I normally work until 4:30 p.m., but we’ve been on summer hours since the end of May and we end work at 4:00 p.m. Those end this week, and it’s the worst to transition back to 4:30 p.m. I try to plan to do something after work/after dinner so I have something to look forward to: either yoga, going for a walk, painting, reading, or watching Netflix. It helps break up being home all the time and gets me out of my bedroom.

I’m still wear mostly t-shirts and shorts/leggings. If I have meetings with people outside of my department, I try to dress up a little, and that normally means a non-sports/University/race t-shirt and doing my hair. I’ve worn a couple of the jumpsuits I have because they’re actually pretty comfortable and make it look like I’m making an effort. And since I’ll be home during the winter, you can guarantee I’ll wear my New York Giants onesie at least once.

For my fellow working from homers, what’s your routine like?